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Sir Ed Davey made a foul-mouthed swipe as he suggested the Tories are “c****” in a keynote speech closing the Lib Dem conference today.<\/p>\n
The Liberal Democrat leader apologised for previously calling the Conservatives “clowns”.<\/p>\n
He said a party member who is a clown got in touch to say he “took great offence”.<\/p>\n
Sir Ed said: “On reflection, I have to admit, he\u2019s got a point.<\/p>\n
“So let me take this opportunity to apologise unreservedly to that party member, and to the whole clowning community. I\u2019m sorry. I used the wrong c-word.”<\/p>\n
Sir Ed also set out the Lib Dems’ plan to drag Britain closer back towards the EU.<\/p>\n
He pledged to “tear down those trade barriers, fix our broken relationship with Europe and get a better deal for Britain” as he closed the autumn gathering in Bournemouth.<\/p>\n
He also claimed Labour’s plan to rewrite the Brexit deal was “nowhere near that ambitious”.<\/p>\n
He said Sir Keir Starmer’s party has a “long way still to go”, adding that it is up to his party to “lead the way”.<\/p>\n
But the Liberal Democrat leader continued to avoid explicitly saying the Lib Dems would rejoin the EU.<\/p>\n
Sir Ed told members in the conference hall: “And there\u2019s another crucial part of our economic vision. Another area where we are different from this Government.<\/p>\n
“Something that would so obviously make an enormous difference to our economy and our standard of living.<\/p>\n
“Something we have always been proud to champion, even when no one else even dared whisper it. Fixing our broken relationship with Europe.<\/p>\n
“The Conservatives botched the deal with Europe, and it\u2019s been a disaster for the UK.<\/p>\n
“They sold out British farmers and fishers. They tied up British business in red tape. And they pushed up food prices in our supermarkets.<\/p>\n
“So much unnecessary pain inflicted on so many by so few. And only the Liberal Democrats have consistently stood up against it.<\/p>\n
“Only we have set out a plan to tear down those trade barriers, fix our broken relationship with Europe and get a better deal for Britain. Yes \u2013 only we.<\/p>\n
“Because Labour\u2019s plan \u2013 if you can call it a plan \u2013 is nowhere near that ambitious.<\/p>\n
“To be fair, they\u2019ve come a long way from when they voted for Boris Johnson\u2019s terrible deal.<\/p>\n
“But Labour has a long way still to go. Which means it\u2019s up to us to lead the way.<\/p>\n
“A better economy. A better future. With Europe.”<\/p>\n
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